Guy Simonds

Guy Simonds (23 April 1903-15 May 1974) was a general of Canada who fought in World War II in the European Campaign of 1944-1945, leading the Allied forces to victory in the liberation of the Netherlands after campaigns in France.

Biography
Guy Simonds was born on 23 April 1903 in Bury St. Edmonds in the United Kingdom, but in 1911 they moved to British Columbia in Canada. In 1926 he enlisted in the Canadian Army and was posted as the commander of the 1st Regiment of Canadian Field Artillery in July 1940 at the start of World War II. By 1943 he had rapidly reached the rank of Major-General and replaced Harry Salmon as the commander of the Canadian 1st Division upon his death in a plane crash. Simonds' forces took part in Operation Husky and in January 1944 he was made commander of the Canadian II Corps. His forces played a huge role in the invasion of Normandy in July 1944, and Simonds commanded the Canadian troops that assisted the British and Polish forces in the Falaise Gap campaign. Simonds succeeded in his ambition to push the Germans back to Falaise in Operation Totalize in early August 1944, and in September 1944 he temporarily replaced the ill Harry Crerar as commander of the Canadian 1st Army. Simonds led the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi Germany, and ended the war there. From 1951 to 1955 he was Chief-of-Staff of the Canadian Army, and he died on 15 May 1974 in Toronto.